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Show 16B The Summit County Bee Friday, December 24, 1993 , i The Cherry Tree Where's Prancer? by Syd Hoff It was early in the morning when Santa Claus returned to die North Pole after hu big trip all over the world. Tm died and I guess you are, too, he said to die reindeer. "So suppose you get to the stable and ni see you all later." Santa went into the house and had a nice hot cup of tea. Then he put eight fresh carrots in a basket and took them out to the stable. "Here, Dasha, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen," he said. "Here, Comet, Cupid, Don-nand Blitzen. Here's a n icecanorfbr each of yoo." There was one carrot left over, "(tee reindeer is missing," said Santa. "Who is it?" "It isn't I," said Dasha. "It isn't I," said Danca. "It isn't I," said Vixen. "It isn't er "Keeping thinking reflection," said Blitzen. A boys," said Santa. "If we police car drove up. "A don't get Pranca back, there reindea was just reported on may neva be another Chestnut Street. Did you Christmas. Everybody lose one?" asked the poknows I have to have eight liceman. reindea." "Yes," said Santa. The telephone range. "Thank you. Well go get "Maybe it's Pranca, cried him." Santa. It was only a wrong Sure enough there was numba. Pranca. "Where have you There was a knock on the been?" said Santa. "We were door. "Maybe ifs Pranca," worried about you." said Santa. It was only a "I just wanted to see how walrus knocking ice off his people look on Christmas flippers. day, said Pranca. "We al"We remember," said the ways get here the night bereindea. "It was Philadel- fore." "Let's all see," said phia that was the last place we-sa- w him." - i Santa.- "Quick, to the sleigh," shouted Santa. "There isn't a They saw many happy faces and were glad they had second to lose." helped make them that way. In the twinkling of an Then Santa said, "Now we eye they were in the City of must go home." Pranca sat Brotherly Love. "Spread out with Santa and enjoyed the now and lode," said Santa. ride. Once more Santa made Dasha went up Market us eitha," said Comet, CuStreet but all he saw was a himself a nice hot cup of tea pid, Donna and Blitzen. "Its Prancer," said Santa. cat Danca went up Broad and once more he took eight Street but all he saw was a fresh carrots out to the sta"Where can he be?" ble. "He was with us in Ausdog. Vixen went into This time there was none Park but all he saw tralia, said Dasha. "He was left "Mary Christmas," with us in Sweden," said was a squirrel. Comet and Santa. said Danca. "He was with us in Cupid met at Independence the Philippine Islands," said HalL "A fine structure," said Vixen. "He was also with Comet. "Yes," said Cupid, us in Sioux City, Iowa," "but where's PranceT? said Comet, Cupid, Donna "Here he is," shouted and Blitzen. Donna. "That's only your Fair-mou- nt An Old English Miracle to travel fartha." One cold winter's day, "Gladly would I do so, hundreds of years ago, dear Mary," answered Joseph and Mary were jour- Joseph, "but the tree is so neying toward Jerusalem, tall and the cherries are at eaga to reach the city before the top too high fa me to nightfalL reach." Mary closed ha eyes and Mary, weary and faint, stopped for breath and said whispered a little praya, gently to ha husband, "Is "Kind Fatha," she prayed, that not a cherry tree I see "if it be thy will, may I be on yonder hillside?" given of the cherries?" "It is indeed a cherry tree, And lo! A wonderful dear Mary," replied Joseph, thing happened. The cherry "and if there were fruit on it, tree, rising green and red you might have some to with leaf and fruit from the stay your hunga. But trees snow blanketed winta earth, bent down its laden branches do not bear fruit in winter." "But see!" exclaimed to Mary. And Mary - Maty, her Ayes aglow at the . ..stretched forth ha hands and., vision of the tree shiny with plucked the luscious cherries fresh green leaves and ripe now within ha reach. A star was shining red diaries. "A lovely sight, my brighter than the rest of the sweet Mary," replied dry, and though it shone fa Joseph. "But we must miles on glistening snow, hurry, or we shall not reach the little circle of earth the city gates before nightfall." Then Mary, meek and mild, beseeched him, "For my sake, my good Joseph, will you not pluck some of the cherries fa me? I for I shall not otherwise be able Merry Christmas The Squirrels Christmas by Winifred Howard The squirrels had a Christmas tree, and (A! it was so nice. They spread it all with marzipan, and sprinkled it with spice. They hung it o'er with fairy lamps and red, apples and nuts and little cakes tied on with golden holly-berri- thread. DDcEinry CCOnirnstlnnDais The simplest things in life are still the most woncer' anc we simply like to say, thanks! V Georst Construction Co. 4484 N. Hwy. 189 Oakley, Utah 783-555- 4 around the cherry tree where Mary and Joseph stood blossomed suddenly with tenda grass and little stared flowers, even as the cherry tree itself bloomed in the frozen snow. Joseph fell on his knees in wonder at the miracle Mary's praya had wrought Humbly he kissed the hem of her gown. "Forgive me, Mary," he murmured. And tis he did so, there seemed to be a holy light around ha head, and angels could be heard like stars singing together: "On this night, blessed Mary, .will.be born unto .you a Holy Child." And so it came to pass. And of the many miracles attending the birth of Christ, this one has been known ever since as the miracle of the cherry tree. es - They skipped and frisked and whisked about It was a merry spree. They ate up everything there was, even the Christmas tree. Only the fairy lamps were left to shine there in the snow. I saw it all on Christmas Eve, and so, you see, I know! |